Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

When I was growing up, the appearance of my mother’s creamy sun-dried tomato dip on the kitchen table meant that company was on the way. Hers was terracotta-colored and a very rich affair, whipped together with cream cheese, butter, and lots of Parmesan cheese—built for a breadstick rather than a stalk of celery. I loved it, and spent most of my youth devising ways to scrape the top layer off her delicately plated dip with a cracker but leave the bowl looking just as perfect as before.

This recipe riffs on the same flavors I loved as a kid, except now I’m in my 30s and can crack into the finished dip well before guests arrive because now I am the boss. Oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes provide such a distinctive sweet and earthy flavor, which goes very well with spicy Calabrian chile pasta and salty, creamy feta. Did I mention the whole thing takes just 5 minutes?

Leftovers of this dip can live many lives. If you’re out of carrot sticks, try it spread on turkey sandwiches or as the base of a loaded veggie toast. Toss it with pasta, loosened with pasta cooking water, to make an easy sauce. I love it as part of a grilled cheese sandwich, or slathered on a crostini and served with hearty soup.